Fluid pressure actuator



July 17, 1962 R. v. BONNER 3,

FLUID PRESSURE ACTUATOR Filed April 15, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. .1 40

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United States Patent 3,044,764 FLUID PRESSURE ACTUATOR Renzo V. Bonner, P.0. Box 149, Carlsbad, N. Mex. Filed Apr. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 22,502 Claims. (Cl. 268-34) This invention relates to a novel fluid pressure actuator.

The primary object of the invention it to provide a simpler, more eflicient, and more versatile device of the kind indicated which is adaptable to a variety of uses and applications, such as opening and closing gates and doors, inflating vehicle tires, pressurizing storage tanks, and creating vacuums for syphons, the device being adaptable to use either with hydraulic fluid or aeriform fluid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated above wherein the fluid circuit and/or circuits are closed, and operating pressures are induced and controlled therein by means of rams which are operated by externally applied mechanical pressures.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character indicated above wherein the rams are actuated by lever means which are operated by the transitional imposition of weight thereon, as by the passage of vehicle wheels over the lever means.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character indicated above, for opening and permitting the closing of a spring-closed gate or door, and for locking the gate when closed, wherein lever actuated ram assemblies are provided in the ground, at opposite sides of the door, and the fluid circuits therebetween have relief valve means which acts to hold the gate or door in open position, for a desired interval of time, after the opening of the gate or door, and valve means for transferring fluid between the ram assemblies.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, specific forms of the invention are set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic top plan view showing a device of the invention associated with a self-closing gate, the gate being in closed position in full lines, and in open position in phantom lines;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through FIGURE 1 and showing a vehicle wheel in process of engaging and depressing a ramp actuating lever;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical transverse section taken through FIGURE 2 taken from the left;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section taken through a ram assembly;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the valves and the ram assemblies in circuit;

FIGURE 7 is a view like FIGURE 1, of a hydraulically operated embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE 8 is a schematic diagram thereof.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like and related numerals designate like and related parts throughout the several views, and first to FIGURES 1 to 6, the illustrated pneumatically operated embodiment of the in vention comprises a road or pavement 10 across which extends a gate assembly 12 having a swing gate 14 which is vertically hinged at one end, as indicated at 16, on a first post 18 and has a free end 20 arranged to have stop engagement in groove 22 provided in a side of a second post 24 in the position of the gate, the posts being located at opposite sides of the pavement 10. The gate 14 has an open arm 26 rising from its hinged end which terminates in a lateral horizontal lever 28, and which extends on the side of the gate remote from the stop groove 22. Hingedly mounted upon the'top of the first post '18, as indicated at 30, is a gate opening cylinder 32, having a piston rod 34 which is pivoted, at 36, to the lever 28.

Suitably pivotally mounted, as indicated atv 38, on the side of the second post 24, on the same side as the stop groove 22, is a vertical gate locking cylinder 40, having an upwardly'extending piston rod 42 which is pivoted, at 44, at its upper end, to one end of a locking lever 46 which is swingably mounted at a point intermediate its ends, as indicated at 48, in the post side. The locking lever 46 has a gate engaging terminal 50 which is adapted to engage the side of the free end 20, remote from the groove 22, for holding the free end in the groove 22.

Countersunk in the pavement 12, flush with the pavement surface 52, and preferably similarly spaced from opposite sides of the gate assembly, are similar first and second ram assemblies 54 and 56, respectively, which are reversed in position relative to each other, and are located at the same side of the pavement 10, in the same wheel lane 58.

As shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, each ram assembly comprises a horizontally elongated close rectangular casing 60, having a bottom wall 62, side walls 64, and first and second end walls 66 and 67, the open top of the casing being closed by a removable cover plate 68. A suitable mechanism supporting frame 70, fixed within the casing 60 supports, on the upper part of the side walls 64, as indicated at 72, at one side of the midlength point of the casing, a pair of opposed bearings 74, in which the ends of a horizontal transverse rockshaft 76 are journaled. Fixed on the rockshaft 76 at its middle is a straight depending lever arm 78 and a relatively short longitudinally extending arm 80, which is disposed at an angle somewhat less than ninety degrees relative to the lever arm 78. The arm 80 terminates at its free end in an upstanding clevis 82 and a stop lug 84. A curved pedal arm 86 has on its lower end a pivot lug 88 which is engaged in the clevis 82 and secured therein on a pivot pin 90 which extends through the clevis and the pivot lug 88. A stop lug 92 on the lower end of the pedal arm 80 is disposed to bear upon the stop lug 84 of the arm 80, so as to operatively connect the arms 80 and 86 for actuation together, on the axis of the rockshaft 76, in one direction only. An absence of stop lugs on the arms 80 and 86, at the opposite side of the pivot pin 90, enables the pedal arm 86 to yield, without actuating the arm 88, whenever the curved side 94 of the pedal arm 86 is engaged and depressed by a vehicle wheel 96 rolling along the pavement lane.

A return spring 98, circumposed on, the pivot pin 90, has terminals 100 and 102 which severally engage the arms 80 and 86, so as to return the pedal arm 86 to operative position after being depressed relative to the arm 88. The pedal arms 86 of the ram assemblies curve in the direction of the approach sides of the gate assembly and away from the gate assembly, and have transversely elongated horizontal treadles 104 fixed on their uppe ends, for engagement by vehicle wheels.

Positioned longitudinally in the casing 60, above the bottom wall, and between the depending lever arm 78 and the end Wall 67 is a horizontal ram cylinder106 which is pivoted, at one end, indicated at 108, to the frame 70, and which has a piston rod 110 which is pivoted at 112 to the lever 78, at a point spaced above a terminal 114 on the lower end of the lever 78. A helical return spring 116 is stretched between and is connected at the terminal 114 at one end and at its other end to the frame 70, below the cylinder 106, as indicated at 118, whereby the ram piston 120 in the cylinder 78, is normally in a retracted position, and the pedal arm 86 is in an elevated 3 position above the casing cover plate 68 and the pavement surface 52. As shown in FIGURE 4, the pedal lever 86 works through a slot 122 provided in the casing cover plate 68.

Leading from opposite ends of the ram cylinder 106 are first and second or outlet and inlet pipes 124 and 126 which are shunted by a shunt pipe 128, extending therebetween, which has therein a check valve 130 which stops fiow of air from the first pipe 124 to the second pipe 126 but permits flow of air from the second pipe 126 to the rst pipe 124, when the piston 120 is moved in the cylinder 106 from right to left in FIGURE 4, away from the second pipe toward the first pipe, by an operative depression of the pedal arm 86 from the aproach side thereof, against the resistance of the spring 116 and air is compressed in the cylinder.

When a vehicle wheel 96, having operatively depressed the arm 86, with the results above noted, passe beyond the arm 86, the spring 116 acts to return the arm 36 to its elevated position, and, at the same time, moves the piston 120 in the cylinder 106, to the right in FIGURE 4, to the position shown therein, whereby air is compressed by the piston 120 and is forced out of the cylinder 106 through the outlet pipe 124. Incorporated in the inlet pipe 126, beyond the shunt pipe 128, is a check valve 132 which prevents movement of air through the inlet pipe, in a direction away from the cylinder 166, but permits fiow therethrough to the cylinder, so that, as the piston 120 moves toward the right, as outlined above, the air under pressure is confined to pass through the shunt pipe 128, and its valve 130, to the outlet pipe 124. The outlet pipe has therein, beyond the shunt pipe 128, a check valve 134 which permits flow of air only in a direction away from the cylinder 106.

As shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 6, the inlet pipes 126 are connected together and share a common filter 136, and the outlet pipes 124 are connected to opposite ends of the body 138 of a shuttle valve 140 which contains an endwise movable valve element 142, and has intermediate its ends, a lateral post 144.

The valve element 142 is shorter than the distances between either end of the valve body 138 and the lateral post 144, so that, Whether positioned to close the outlet pipe 124 of the ram assembly 54 or the outlet pipe 124 of the ram assembly 56, the lateral port 144 is open and provides communication between the open one of the outlet pipes and the port 144. The valve element 142 does not have an intermediate position.

A single pipe 146 is connected to and leads from the shuttle valve port 144 and makes a junction with a locking cylinder pipe 143 and with a gate opening cylinder pipe 150. Connected in the single pipe 146, between the shuttle valve 140 and the locking cylinder pipe 148, is an adjustable relief valve 152 of a slow-opening type, which has a port 153 opening to atmosphere.

With the above described arrangement, depending upon the capacities of the components, depression of a treadle 104 by a single vehicle wheel 96, such as the front wheel of a vehicle approaching the gate assembly 12 from either side, can be sufiicient to cause the gate locking cylinder to operate and withdraw the terminal of the locking lever 46 from engagement with the free end 20 of the gate 14, followed immediately or concurrently by operation of the gate opening cylinder 32, whereby the gate 14 is swung to a ninety degree open position, as indicated in phantom lines in FIGURE 1, against the resistance of a helical return spring 154, which is stretched between the gate 14 and a lateral bracket 156 fixed on the first post 18 on the side thereof remote from the stop groove 22 on the second post 24.

However, the arrangement may be constructed to require more than one operation of a ram assembly for opening the gate 14, such as the passage of both front and rear wheels over a treadle, or rocking of a vehicle back and forth a number of times to produce several depressions of the treadle.

In any case, after a depression of a treadle and passage of a vehicle wheel thereover, the spring 116 acts to restore the treadle 104 to its elevated position and at the same time draws air into the cylinder 106 which was expelled or discharged therefrom on the downstroke of the treadle, so that the piston 12% is positioned and air is present in the cylinder for an immediately following discharge of air from the cylinder 106.

The relief valve 152 is adjusted so that, in the opened position of the gate 14, the opening cylinder piston rod 34, being extended, is slowed in its return toward retracted position in its cylinder, so that closing of the gate 14, by the spring 154, is delayed and slowed, long enough to permit passage of a vehicle through the gate assembly 12 before the gate moves toward and reaches its closed position. The return operation of the locking cylinder 40 is similarly delayed and slowed by the relief valve 152, so that the locking lever 46 is not moved to gate locking position until the gate has reached its closed position.

The hydraulically operated embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 7 and 8 is generally similar to the pneumatic embodiment of FIGURES 1 to 6, with the exceptions that a closed hydraulic fluid reservoir 136a having a vent 153, replaces the air filter 136, and a return fluid line 160 leads from the pipe 150a to the reservoir 136a, the line 160 having therein an adjustable restricted orifice device 162. The pipe 146a leading from the shuttle valve a to the pipe a is connected to the return pipe line by a shunt pipe 164 containing an adjustable high pressure relief valve 166. The shunt pipe 164 and relief valve 166 are optional.

Further, the gate opening cylinder 32a contains a piston retracting spring 1540, corresponding in function to the spring 154 of the embodiment of FIGURES l to 6, and the gate locking cylinder 49a contains a piston extending spring 168 which is weaker than the spring 154a. By way of example, a pressure of about three pounds per square inch is required to extend the piston of the gate opening cylinder 32a, whereas a pressure of only about one pound per square inch is required to extend the piston of the gate locking cylinder 49a.

In operation, when a vehicle depresses a treadle 104a of a ram assembly 54a, 56a, fluid is forced out of the reservoir 136a, through the pipe 146a to the pipe 150a and to the pipe 148a, whereby the fluid pressure is imposed on the pistons of the gate opening cylinder 32a and of the gate locking cylinder 40a. Because of the difference in strength of the springs in these cylinders, the piston of the gate locking cylinder 40a is immediately drawn into the cylinder 40:: and unlocks the gate, and thereafter the piston of the gate opening cylinder 32a is extended to swing the gate to open position. On completion of the depression of the treadle, the gate is in fully open position and is held therein by a slight excess fluid pressure within the cylinder 32.

When the vehicle has passed over the treadle and the treadle rises, the related check valve 134a closes and the treadle produced pressure drops, to a degree determined by the adjustment of the relief valve 166. When the pressure drops to a point whereat the tension of the gate closing spring 154a in the cylinder 32a is greater than the pressure, the spring 154a expands and begins to close the gate. The restricted return flow of fluid through the restricted orifice device 162 and the back pressure to the piston in the cylinder 32a exerted by the spring 154a, maintains sufficient fluid pressure in the cylinder 40a to keep the piston in its fully retracted position until the gate is fully closed and movement of the piston in the cylinder 32 has ceased.

After the closing movement of the gate has stopped, continued flow of fluid through the orifice device 162 allows the pressure in the system to subside to zero, and, as the pressure subsides below one pound per square inch,

for example, the tension of the spring in the locking cylinder 40 is operative to extend the piston therein and locks the gate.

Although there have been shown and described herein preferred forms of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a roadway, first and second posts at opposite sides of the roadway, a gate vertically hinged on said first post and adapted to bear against the second post in the closed position of the gate, means biasing the gate toward its closed position, a fluid pressure gate opening cylinder having a piston rod, the cylinder and the piston rod being severally articulated to said first post and to the gate for opening the gate when the piston rod is extended from the cylinder, first and second ram assemblies embedded in the roadway at and spaced from opposite sides of the posts, said ram assemblies each comprising a vehicle-operated treadle in the assembly and movable from a normal position above the surface of the roadway to a depressed position below the surface and a fixed ram cylinder having a piston therein normally at one end thereof and having a piston rod extending out of the cylinder, a rock shaft adjacent said treadle, a lever fixed on said rock shaft and having one end pivoted to the extending end of said piston rod and having the other end pivoted to the treadle, means preventing pivoting of the treadle in the direction toward the, gate, said treadle being free to pivot in the opposite direction, said treadle when moved to said depressed position moving the piston in the cylinder from one end of the ram cylinder toward the other end thereof for compressing the fluid in the ram cylinder, means for returning the piston toward said one end of the ram cylinder and elevating the treadle above the roadway, an outlet pipe connected to each of the ram cylinders at said other end thereof, an inlet pipe connected to each of the ram cylinders at said one end thereof, a shunt pipe extending between and connected to the outlet and inlet pipes and having a first check valve thereon opening only to the outlet pipe, a second check valve in the outlet pipe at a point beyond a shunt pipe and opening only in a direction away from the ram cylinder, a third check valve in the inlet pipe at a point beyond the shunt pipe and adapted to open only in the direction of the ram cylinder, a shuttle valve having an endwise movable valve element, said outlet pipes being connected to opposite ends of the shuttle valve whose valve element is responsive to pressures and absence of pressures in the outlet pipes, a fluid pressure pipe extending between and connected to the shuttle valve and to the gate-opening cylinder, a pressure relief valve in said pressure pipe and a fluid source to which the inlet pipes are connected.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said fluid source comprises an air Vent.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said source comprises a fluid reservoir.

4. The combination according to 'claim 1 wherein said source comprises a fluid reservoir and in addition includes another pipe leading from said reservoir to said pressure pipe, another shunt pipe extending between and connected to the pressure pipe and said other pipe, a high pressure relief valve in said other shunt pipe, and an adjustable fluid flow restricting device connected to said other pipe.

5. In a pressure device, a closed casing to be sunk in a pavement \and having a top wall to be flush with the surface of the pavement, a ram cylinder within the casing and pivoted at one end thereon, a piston in the cylinder having a piston rod emerging through the opposite end of the cylinder, a rock shaft journaled across the casing on a level above the ram cylinder, said rock shaft having a fixed vertical depending lever having a lower end, means pivoting the piston rod to said depending lever above its lower end, a horizontal arm fixed on the rock shaft and extending toward the cylinder and having a free end, an upstanding pedal arm having a lower end pivoted on said free end, means preventing pivoting of the pedal arm relative to the horizontal arm in one direction, said pedal arm being free to pivot in the opposite direction, spring means for returning the pedal arm to upstanding position relative to the horizontal arm after depression of the pedal arm, said casing top wall having an opening through which the pedal arm rises, a treadle on the upper end of the pedal arm, and return spring means connected to and stretched between the lower end of the vertical lever and a part of the casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 302,309 Worthington July 22, 1884 433,994 Nordberg Aug. 12, 1890 1,230,070 Gottschalk June 12, 1917 1,262,934 Farmer Apr. 16, 1918 1,920,868 Kirk Aug. 1, 1933 2,387,307 Stone Oct. 23, 1945 2,440,478 Kehle Apr. 27, 1948 2,893,725 Katz July 7, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 14,631 Great Britain of 1893 

